Hey i felt the need to make this post because eveyrone makes it seem like being an intl. will give u automatic acceptance anywhere, which is definitley not the case. though i dont know much about the whole process, can someone inform me onother factors other than the financial that would influence the final decision?

(Original post by PQ)
UK universities are limited in the number of UK and EU students they can accept as those students are subsidised by the government (and the government cannot afford unlimited increases in student numbers).

International students aren't subsidised at all so there's no limit on how many a university can recruit (apart from physically being able to teach them all) so many universities are willing to accept any international student they believe capable of passing the course (whereas with UK students they're forced to use A levels etc to narrow down the field and only take the best x%)

Perhaps, but that certainly doesn't apply to top-tier universities, does it?

Universities have a certain number of places set aside for internationals, they're anxious to fill these to get full funding. But if they have a large number of applicants for those places, they'll be more choosy.

I think its harder to get in as an interntaional student. i applied of medicine and already have two rejections (third one is on its way)! i have the grades and am self-motivated and everything etc.. but they still rejected me. Imperial told a friend of mine that they rejected her (for med as well) because there isnt enough space. I got rejceted form QM because of lack of work experience!
Even as international students we are expected to have the same grades as local UK/EU students, as well as the same amount of extra-ciricular activties, employment and work experience which is very difficult to get in some countries (especially in the middle east and South East Asia).
An example is...med applicants applying to birmingham are expected to get a minimum of 6A*s in their GCSEs. Now when you do IGCSEs (which is a longer syllabus) getting an A is a big deal, and its very rare to get an A*. But i guess locals do more subjects than us. I dont really now, but i totally feel it is much harder to get in as an interntaional. Even though the unis need us for the money, there are limited seats (20 - for international student in UCL) and ALOT of competition for those seats!

As an international student I hate the assumption that, oh I must have been let in because I could pay the fees. I mean, obviously there are some international students who get in just based on their own merit! I understand where you are coming from and I'm not offended at all, but it would be nice if maybe someone acknowledged that people in other countries can be smart too! Maybe British people don't have exclusive rights to intelligence. Hah, imagine that!

Who knows? In terms of overall fees difference for an arts course, although it seems like a big difference to an individual (7000 a year or so more) in terms of the actual numbers of overseas students vs university operating costs and deficits, overseas students aren't really much more than a drop in the financial bucket. In any case, the places with good reputations are going to be very heavily oversubscribed in terms of applicants in all fee paying categories.

I think many people also fail to realise that the 'A' levels which many overseas students sit for are set by a different examination board compared to Edxecel, which is the board responsible for the 'A' level exams which UK/home students sit for. Those boards are generally more well-respected, you should understand that an 'A' level exam prepared by UCLES for example is regarded as tougher compared to the Edxecel alternative.

So while it may seem that international students are preferred solely for the sake of $$$, there lies greater reason within.